Reaper of Water
The Artifact Reaper Saga
Jen L. Grey
Reaper of Water Copyright © 2019 Jen L. Grey LLC
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
About the Author
Also by Jen L. Grey
1
I shut the door as I step out of the bathroom. A flush of air brushes around me. Since absorbing the Flame of Hell a week ago, everything has changed. My vision seems sharper, which is saying something. In general, reapers have some of the best vision of any supernaturals due to the nature of our work. But now, even the air has an aura to it I can see as it blows past me. And as if that's not strange enough, it feels somehow connected to me.
If someone had told me over a week ago how the third artifact would change me, I would have told them they were crazy… but not anymore.
Now, with three of the artifacts – the Earth Crystal, Angel’s Breath, and Hell’s Flame – coursing through me, it’s fundamentally altered me. I hope it’s for the better, but who the hell knows? One thing is for certain; I won’t be bowing down to the council, demons, or anyone else any longer.
My power thrums inside of me as I stand in the middle of my studio. The dark couch Charlie and I retrieved from the dumpster is five feet away to the left, and the round kitchen table I bought at a yard sale is two feet to the right. So, I have plenty enough room to have a little fun. This is my favorite part of having these powers.
I hold my hand out, palm facing upward, and I bring my fingers toward me and into a fist. The air responds and begins twirling in front of me, connecting deep inside me. It's as if I can feel it spinning in my core.
One of the things I've learned is that each element has its own color of magic. As the wind spins in front of me, the blue of the Angel's Breath inside me pulses, but the brown strand from the Earth Crystal flows in sync as well as the purple of the Flame of Hell. Yes, the purple threw me off at first, but since the Flame was both half red and half blue, I guess it makes sense that when combined, it would be a vibrant shade of purple. What's even more surprising is that for once, my reaper magic doesn't bother me. It's as if the warmth of the Flame balances out the coldness. I've never been so comfortable in my skin. I can see what a reaper's place is really meant to be; a passage so a soul can get to its final resting place. There isn't anything evil to it, and it took until now for me to realize that.
As I lower my hand, the small tornado lowers with it. The wind stays at the same height as my fist. I'm now able to control my powers in small increments. Anything too large I'm still not comfortable with.
A loud knock at the door startles me and my hands drop. The small tornado hits the ground and begins making its way to my feet. Gathering my bearings just in time, I open my hands wide, dissipating it back into the air.
The door opens, and Charlie peers into the room. "Everything okay in here?"
Why do I feel like he asks me that all of the time? "Yeah, I was just practicing." I shake my head and place my hands on my hips. "Why do you knock when you have a key?"
"Because you still need your privacy." He steps through the door, his hazel eyes sparkling. "And I'm a gentleman." He holds out a bouquet of sunflowers.
Wait... "Are those for me?" I've never had someone buy flowers for me before. A grin spreads across my face.
"This would be really awkward right now if they weren't." He runs a hand through his short blond hair and chuckles. "Do you not want them?"
Oh... shit. I must seem ungrateful. "Of course I do." I walk over to him and kiss his lips as I take the flowers from him. "It's just I've never gotten anything like this before. Thank you. I love them."
"Anything for you." He reaches out and runs his fingers through my hair. "I want to be your first for all things."
"Well, you've certainly been that." God, I don't know what I would do without him. I lean in and kiss him again, focusing my energy on him. It's strange because even kissing Charlie feels different now. His lips feel softer yet still firm, and his breath makes me lightheaded. I moan as I deepen the kiss and hold the flowers out as I press against him.
He and I are the only things that matter right now. I open my mouth to slide my tongue against his lips. He groans and tugs on the ends of my hair when something coarse and prickly rubs against my arm.
"What the
